Skeletons
by FallenAngel218
Summary: Tony struggles to cope with a case that hits a little too close to home.


The Jameson felt good as it burned his throat. Tony slammed his glass on the bar and signaled the bartender, who already had the bottle in his hand.

"I'm going to have to cut you off after this," The bartender warned him. "You've had way too much to drink, pal."

"Whatever. Just pour the damn whiskey."

The bartender did, and walked away. Tony picked up his glass and took a long drink. He knew it would take a lot more whiskey for him to forget the past two weeks. The team had picked up a new case, another dead Marine. As they dug into the deceased soldier's life, Tony came across a name that he hadn't seen in years.

He'd deliberately kept his brother a secret. He wasn't exactly close to the guy. Darren was the product of one of Senior's failed marriages. He remembered the day his father had called him at college with the news that he was going to be a "big brother." Tony was less than thrilled, but accepted it nonetheless.

Darren and Tony got along very well, despite Tony's moving all over for work. When Darren reached teenhood, however, he became broody and anti-social. Tony was working at NCIS at the time, and tried to drive up to Long Island as often as possible. Eventually, Darren stopped seeing Tony, dropped out of school and ran away from home. Darren's mother was devastated, and asked Tony to find him and bring him home.

Tony spent a month tracking down his brother. He finally found him in the Bronx, living in a shit hole loft with a girl who looked like a hooker. He'd tried to convince his brother to return to Long Island. Darren's response was to pull a gun on his older brother and try to shoot him. Tony wrestled the gun away and arrested his brother.

Tony wrote off his brother after Darren was convicted of possession and aggravated assault, and never thought about him again.

Two weeks ago, the memory of his derelict brother was dredged up again. The Marine who was killed was apparently getting his drugs from Darren's supplier. Tony was forced to bring his brother in for questioning.

Tony threw back the last of his whiskey as he recalled the conversation between him and Darren on the way back to NCIS.

_"What the hell were you thinking?" Tony said sternly to his brother as they drove on the Beltway toward NCIS._

_"I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone."_

_"You can either talk to me now, or wait until we get back to NCIS. If I were you, I'd choose option one... once your ass is in that interrogation room, I can't help you anymore."_

_"I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help."_

_Tony flipped on his right signal and changed lanes._

_"Oh, really Darren? How many times did I have to drive all the way to Brooklyn to bail your ass out of trouble so your Mother wouldn't find out? What about when they finally threw you out of school? You were too chicken shit to face your Mother, so you came to me. If it weren't for me, you'd have been living on the damn streets."_

_"Don't you dare bring my Mother into this!"_

_"I'm just making a point, Bro... you needed my help before, and you need it now, so talk to me."_

_"I'm not saying a word without a lawyer."_

_Tony pulled into the Navy Yard and parked the car. He killed the engine, but didn't get out right away._

_"Last chance, Darren."_

_"I got nothin' to say to you."_

_Tony looked at his brother in the mirror. He was no longer the smiling kid he remembered... the kid he took to baseball games, threw a football with, and talked to until all hours of the night when he had a problem. He was a different person._

_"I've got something to say to you, Darren, because I might never see you again after I drop you off in interrogation. Despite all the crap you put me through, all of it, you're still my brother, and I'll always care about you."_

_Darren, for a wonder, was speechless._

_Tony got out of the car and went around to the back He opened it and helped his handcuffed brother out._

_"A word of advice, Bro... you get one phone call. I suggest you use it to call your Mother. If mine were still alive, she'd be the one I'd want to call if I were in your position."_

_Darren looked at his older brother. Tony's eyes were full of compassion. He nodded, and allowed Tony to lead him inside._

Tony threw back another shot, and clumsily slammed his glass down.

"Can I have another?"

"I already told you, I'm not serving you anymore. Go home. Sleep it off."

Tony was about to open his mouth to argue, until the door opened and someone entered the bar. Tony glanced up, and rolled his eyes as Gibbs crossed the bar and sat on a stool next to him.

"Taking the entire afternoon for lunch, DiNozzo?"

Tony kept his eyes on the empty glass in his hands.

Gibbs got up off the stool.

"Let's take a walk."

Tony sat there for another moment, then reached for his wallet. He paid his tab, left the bartender a generous tip for putting up with him, and followed Gibbs out of the bar.

The bar Tony had chosen wasn't far from the office, so they walked toward the Yard in silence. Despite having put away several drinks, Tony didn't appear outwardly drunk, and Gibbs was glad for that... he didn't want to have to explain to Vance why he had to drag one of his Agents out of a bar in the middle of the afternoon.

They made it back to the Yard in silence, and Gibbs directed them toward the boardwalk. Tony leaned against the barrier and stared out at the Potomac.

"Did he give up his supplier?"

"Yep. Didn't take long."

"Where is he now?"

"McGee put him in holding until Metro gets here. He has to answer for the possession charge you picked him up on."

Tony nodded slowly.

"When's the last time you saw Darren?" Gibbs asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Tony asked without looking at him. Gibbs remained silent, awaiting an answer. Tony sighed. "Eight or nine years ago. I went looking for him again, for his Mother. I found him in the Bronx, holed up with some hooker in a crap hole apartment. I tried to convince him to come back to Long Island with me. He shot at me. I had to arrest him. He did time for possession and aggravated assault. He was only seventeen then."

Gibbs took in Tony's confession. He knew as well as Tony that shooting at a police officer carried a heavier charge than aggravated assault. Tony had likely fibbed on the official report about what happened at that apartment.

"You did a good thing, Tony."

Tony finally turned to him, anger in his eyes.

"How is arresting my brother a good thing?" He snapped. "I went there to help him, and he tried to shoot me!"

"All he got for that was an aggravated assault charge. You could have put him away for a lot longer on attempted murder for shooting at you. Why'd you lie on the report?"

Tony hesitated to answer. He remembered the day all too well.

~

_Darren screamed in fury all the way to the nearest police precinct. He called Tony every foul name in the book. Tony ignored his brother until they pulled up in front of the precinct. He got out of the car, opened up the back door and pulled Darren out by his arm. When his brother continued to scream, he slammed the car door and pushed Darren into the car face-first._

_"Shut the fuck up right now! I'm done chasing you around New York. I tried to help you, and all I got for it was shot at. I'm done trying to help you anymore."_

_Tony dragged him unceremoniously into the precinct. The Desk Sergeant stood up as he came in, and Tony showed his badge._

_"You're a little out of your jurisdiction, aren't you pal?"_

_"My jurisdiction is everywhere, pal. I'm turning this punk in for possession and aggravated assault."_

_Darren's eyes snapped to his brother. Had Tony just lied for him?_

_Two uniforms came over to take Darren into custody. He briefly glanced at Tony as he was being led away._

_Tony watched the uniforms escort his brother back to holding. The look Darren had given him was one he'd never seen on his brother's face before. It was a look of thanks._

_He filled out the necessary paperwork with the Desk Sergeant, and left the precinct._

Tony leaned on the barrier to steady himself as he finished his story.

"Take the rest of the day off, Tony. Call a cab and go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Tony nodded in agreement. Gibbs clapped him on the shoulder.

"I have to get back inside. Take care of yourself."

"I will. Thanks, Boss."

Tony called a cab, and looked out at the Potomac as he waited. He wished things had been different with Darren, but it was time to let him go and move on. The cab pulled up, and Tony climbed in.

A knock on his door roused Tony from sleep. He'd gone to bed as soon as he got home. He looked over at his clock.

"Who the hell is here at this time of night?" He grumbled as he got out of bed and pulled on some sweatpants and a shirt. He went out and looked through his peephole. Quickly, he unbolted the door and pulled it open.

"Darren, what are you doing here?" He said in shock.

"I called my Mom. She wired money to bail me out of jail. Can I come in?"

Tony stood there for a moment, then moved to let his brother pass into the apartment. Darren looked around the apartment.

"Nice place."

"I got it from years of hard work."

"I believe it."

The room fell silent for a few moments. Neither of them were sure what to say next.

"Why are you at my door at two in the morning, Darren?" Tony finally asked.

Darren motioned to the couch. He and Tony sat down.

"I've been thinking about what you said in the car, on the way to your NCIS building." Darren scrubbed a hand over his face. "My Mom and I talked for a long time on the phone. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, Tony. When I hung up with her, I started thinking about what you said. You told me your Mom died when you were a little kid, and that she would be the first person you'd call if you were in my situation."

"She would. My mom would be pissed, but she'd still love me, no matter what I've done. Just like your Mother will always love you."

"I didn't feel that on the phone with her."

"You were calling her from jail, Darren. Nobody wants to get that phone call."

"Good point."

It got quiet again. Tony studied his brother. He looked confused, scared and nervous all at the same time.

"What's really on your mind, Darren? I know you didn't come here at two in the morning to talk about your Mom."

"I don't want to live like this anymore, Tony. I want to have a life my Mom can be proud of – that I can be proud of. I-I need your help."

Tony never thought he'd hear his brother utter those words. He looked into his brother's eyes. They were sincere.

"If I help you, there is no backing out. You have to stay committed to the plan we draw up, and see it through to the end. There's no room for screwing up. Are we clear?"

"Yes."

Darren yawned, and Tony was reminded of the late hour.

"When is your arraignment?"

"Tomorrow."

"Why don't you sleep here tonight, and we can talk about this over coffee in the morning. I'll take you to the courthouse for your arraignment."

"I'd like that."

Tony got up and retrieved a couple of blankets from the basket next to the couch.

"Get some rest. We have a lot of work to do."

Darren got up from the couch, and suddenly did something he'd never done before.

He hugged his brother.

"Thank you, Tony."

**END**


End file.
